De-link success on 5th gen

Just completed a de-link of the entire brake system on my '99 5th generation VFR800.
Inspired by Mello Dudes method I did mine with subtle differences but overall found it not to be too daunting .

Mods as follows;

1. Removed entire stock system along with stub axle assembly and swing arm

2. Re-greased all bearings and re-installed swing arm and new cush drive rubbers for the driven flange.

3. External bridging line for rear caliper along with a 14mm M/C (as per Mello Dudes calcs)

4. Forks re-built with Firestorm/Superhawk sliders, 0.9 kg linear springs, 5 grade oil with 130mm air gap

5. SP2 calipers and M/C (lower mounting lug on the sliders needed approx. 1.5mm filing off of them but keeping the profile)

6. I filed off about 10mm from the stock mudguard so that the 'guard could 'drop' further so that the holes of the top mudguard mounting lined up with top holes in the 'guard. Drilled another hole 90mm down from the top one.
M6 cap heads inserted into the lugs from the inside (tyre side) to become studs. 15mmx23mm spacers with an M6 threaded hole all the way through were fabricated locally.

If this needs clarification I did take photos but haven't figured how to load them yet...helpful hints please!

If anyone wants to do this I can have the lines made up as the kit is loaded into the manufacturers system for me.

 

delink or abs -which works excellent-I am trying some ebc extreme pro brake pads soon-I have to scub off the old stuff on the rotors. Delink should only be done by very experienced riders like me-I actually have done 4200 miles and only fell down 5 times in the first 6 months.:censored:

 

Ah, there you are Mello, pm'd you but no reply.
See what you're saying and may flip it next brake service but I thought it may be an air trap and it does sit inside the wheel so it's staying where it is for now.
Removing the old solid lines took some juggling and slight bending but didn't take long.
The only snag is that the SP2 front reservoir is freakin' huge and obscures the info screen on the right of the dash will get round to setting in place with a different bracket.
So far so good but I can't road test it as I've just had surgery to my lower spine :-(

 

Great job, now can you come and do mine please.
Took me forever to bleed the rear brakes on my 5th gen.
Still doesn't feel right but it passed the mot.

 

Thanks Darth Vader!
It's now a truly global bike as the fork sliders came from Latvia and the SP2 front caliper/ m/c set came from Anaheim, Cal. All of course courtesy of ebay.

I now have an experimental solid link in production for the rear caliper. To be honest I would do this again but with the VTR1000 Firestorm caliper set up as there would be no filing of the lower caliper mount involved.

We can thank Mello for the calculations and prototyping it but there is nothing to worry about and I bled the systems in about 20 mins with excellent lever pressure.

 

Good to see another de-link, congratulations on restoring your bike to proper controls

Don't use the VTR1K caliper said, there are pretty crap. The CBR 600/929/954 & RC51/SP1/2 are the pinicle of non radial systems, I can do stoppies with mine So long as you get the right MC to caliper piston ratio, they are great.

Having said that VTR ones could be used, but NOT with VTR MC as it was the wrong ratio from the factory ! 32-36/1 ratio gives best feel & easy modulation & best control IMO.

YMMV

 

Cheers Mohawk.
Couple of reasons I suggest the Firestorm/Superhawk calipers is that they fit straight on to the slider as that's where they come from. CBR600, is that the F model or the earlier RR or both? Any fitting/clearance issues for 929 & 954? And as I said the SP1/2 caliper fit means relieving material on the lower mounting point of about1.5mm. I used the finest feeler gauge to ensure clearance between caliper and mounting lug.

As for the front m/c...an integrated unit would look stock, but as long as the ratios work. Mello did loads of work on this subject and clearly recommended keeping like with like i.e. SP with SP, cbr6 with cbr6 etc, etc.

Can't wait to try it but I can't even get on the bike let alone ride it due to lower spine surgery :-(

 

Cheers Mohawk.
Couple of reasons I suggest the Firestorm/Superhawk calipers is that they fit straight on to the slider as that's where the come from. CBR600, is that the F model or the earlier RR or both? Any fitting/clearance issues for 929 & 954? And as I said the SP1/2 caliper fit means relieving material on the lower mounting point of about1.5mm. I used the finest feeler gauge to ensure clearance between caliper and mounting lug.

As for the front m/c...an integrated unit would look stock, but as long as the ratios work. Mello did loads of work on this subject and clearly recommended keeping like with like i.e. SP with SP, cbr6 with cbr6 etc, etc.

Can't wait to try it but I can't even get on the bike let alone ride it due to lower spine surgery :-(

 

why not add abs-that would work the best

 

No disrespect but you are clearly not a bike engineer. It would be very expensive and near impossible to retro fit ABS. Solution...Buy a bike with ABS!

The aim of the de-link is;

1. To rid the bike of 16 year old rubber hoses. (Braided replacement kit is £300/$450)

2. To cost effectively install a conventional braking system i.e. front applies front & rear applies rear.

3. Easier to service and bleed.

4.To give the preference of being able to brake as you wish rather than as auntie Honda dictates....if you end up having to trail some back brake through a bend/turn the last thing you want is any front brake coming on.

These were my considerations...please feel free to add more...

 

The CBR600F4/F4i/F4S models & early RR's + 929/954 & Rc51/SP1/2 models all use the same Nissin 4 pot calipers, with just piston size differences & the F4/F4i ones are black rather than gold, but they are all identical in external dimensions & fittings. They all require a small amount taken off the VTR bolt mount bosses to clear & mine required 3mm spacers to align with the disks, but I used Rc45 front wheel.

The master cylinders are all slightly different sizes due to the different piston sizes in the calipers. So you can mix & match to a degree. I have CBR600F4i master with CBR929 calipers, which gives a lower ratio than CBR929 & allows me to keep the integrated M/C which looks identical to the VFR one. The lower ration means a little more lever travel, but more power for the same effort & this is how I like my brakes, controlled rather than hard to use.

Ouch, re the back, spinal fusion ? My other half had that last year, i can appreciate how painful it is, take your time. her's was end of April last year & by May this year she is totally pain free & so much more mobile.

 

Thanks Mohawk, lots of good info.

This is the SP2 M/c and res' ...think you'll agree that the res' is too 'in ya face' and that's the reason why I'd like to find an integrated set up that gives a stock look but give the power and feel to drive the SP calipers.

I had a brembo19/20 on a k6 thou. The unit gave good braking effort but great feel and ability to modulate the front brakes with ease. From what Mello was saying I believe the vfr m/c would throw you over the bars!

Thanks for your well wishes ref the back sugery. Think I may miss out a fair chunk of this season so I'm hoping for a decent autumn so I can get some miles in with this new set up.

 

Hey Mello Dude,
just pm'd you regarding the fender mounting bracket you had made up...